Tianzhuo Chen, Trance, 2019 (video still), two single-channel videos with sound (loop). Image courtesy of the artist, BANK/MABSOCIETY, and Asia Society Museum, New York
Mirror Image: A Transformation of Chinese Identity
Asia Society New York
Opens June 15
This exhibition presents 19 artworks by seven artists, born in mainland China in the 1980s. Belonging to what is referred to as the ba ling hou generation, they grew up in a post-Mao China shaped by the one-child policy and the influx of foreign investment. Comprising painting, sculpture, performance, installation, video, digital art, and photography, the exhibition reflects the dramatic economic, political, and cultural shifts the artists have experienced in China during their lifetimes.
The exhibition’s title, Mirror Image, refers to the double reflection at the heart of the exhibition. Rather than emphasizing their “Chinese-ness,” these artists’ respective practices are born of a contemporary China where Starbucks can be found in the Forbidden City and the internet permits them access—despite the obstacles of censorship—to a host of influences beyond geographical boundaries. The show is organized by Barbara Pollack, guest curator, with Hongzheng Han, guest curatorial assistant.
Participating Artists:
Tianzhuo Chen (born 1985 in Beijing, China; lives and works in Beijing)
Cui Jie (born 1983 in Shanghai, China; lives and works in Beijing, China)
Pixy Liao (born 1979 in Shanghai, China; lives and works in Brooklyn, New York)
Liu Shiyuan (born 1985 in Beijing, China; lives and works in Beijing and Copenhagen, Denmark)
Miao Ying (born 1985 in Shanghai, China; lives and works in Shanghai and New York City)
Nabuqi (born 1984 in Inner Mongolia, China; lives and works in Beijing, China)
Tao Hui (born 1987 in Chongqing, China; lives and works in Beijing, China)
Memorial Project Nha Trang, Vietnam: Towards the Complex–For the Courageous, the Curious, and the Cowards, 2001, single-channel video projection with sound, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harold and Ruth Newman, 2008.4. Courtesy of the artist and Mizuma Art Gallery, Tokyo © Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba
Visionary Legacies: A Tribute to Harold J. Newman
Asia Society New York
Opens June 15
This exhibition celebrates the life of Harold (Hal) J. Newman (1931-2021) and honors the generosity and vision of the Newman family in their support of Asia Society Museum’s ongoing efforts to remain at the forefront of collecting Asian art in the twenty-first century. The exhibition includes a selection of new media works from the Museum’s collection that illustrates the breadth and depth of their patronage.
Upcoming Programs at Asia Society
Project Home: India by the Bay 2022, Asia Society Hong Kong
Online program, June 17, 7pm HK time/7am EDT
Episode 4 of India by The Bay-Project Home: The Word for the World is Home by award winning artist Seema Kohli will be presented. Exploring the themes of migration, memories and identity through her layered art pieces, Seema unlocks possibilities for a real human connection that are not bound by judgement or intellect.
Read more, click here.
Making Home: Performance and Artist Talk: Beili Liu, Asia Society Texas
In-person program, June 18, 3pm
To accompany her installation Each and Every in the exhibition Making Home: Artists and Immigration, artist Beili Liu joins Asia Society Texas for a performance and artist talk. As guests experience the gallery installation, the artist sits in contemplative silence during her performance, mending damaged and worn children's clothing. She repairs the items as an act of restoration in response to the experiences of children immigration at the southern U.S. border. The performance will be followed by an artist talk and audience Q&A.
Read more, click here.
Art for Breakfast – An Insider’s Introduction to the Kyoto National Museum,
Asia Society Japan
In-person and online program, June 27 8am Tokyo time/June 26 7pm EDT
Melissa Rinne, a senior specialist at the museum, will present an insider’s view of the institution, taking viewers through its vast collection of priceless objects, historical significance, and the challenges of running such an institution with national treasures. Ms. Rinne knows museums globally, being a Japanese art curator at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and a Japanese textile specialist. She will give insights into how Japanese national museums are managed and how they differ from museums abroad. In-person attendance at International House is available to Asia Society members and guests only, while the online presentation is open to the public.
Read more, click here.